G.I. Robot, Robot MD, and iRobot

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We've all read books and seen TV shows and movies set in the future where robots are either helpful or harmful to mankind (and sometimes both at once). Are we on the verge of such a future? Keep reading to learn about three applications of robots that may bring the future a lot closer.

Isaac Asimov fans will recall the stories where robots were prevalent and did everything. There were robot policemen, robot house cleaners, robot personal assistants, robot nannies, and robot guides. The movie iRobot, with Will Smith, showed robots as being indispensable to human society. Movies such as Terminator 2 and the Matrix trilogy showed robots as being merciless killing machines intent on subjugating mankind. The inevitable rise of the machines, as man comes to use them to automate processes (from manufacturing to Internet services), finally becomes a divisive issue leading to conflict and war as robots start to think.

One early development in science fiction books, at least, was Isaac Asimov’s Three Laws of Robotics:

A robot may not injure a human being, or, through inaction, allow a human being to come to harm.

A robot must obey the orders given it by human beings except where such orders would conflict with the First Law.

A robot must protect its own existence as long as such protection does not conflict with the First or Second Law.

So is Hollywood on acid? Maybe, maybe not; today we are going to talk about robots becoming relatively prevalent in reality. (Robots are the norm in cyberspace already). As someone who has an affinity for powered components made of chromium, steel and composite materials, even I shudder at the possibilities of what this trio could become as their upgrades come out over time. Robots could become as prevalent as computers and handheld devices (several industries and professions are betting their professional lives on it) as we go from robots in the military to robots in the medical field. We will finally look at “robo sapiens” and start thinking about cognitive robot development. First let us talk about our robot grunts, which could see combat sooner than you think.